October Is National Domestic Violence Month

Designed to raise global awareness and fundraising support, cause-awareness days and months mark time periods on the calendar when a particular social issue is highlighted for special attention. Each person and organization has a heart for different causes that are important to them. Obviously, The Leakey Collection is passionate about women and empowerment issues across the globe. Over the past fifteen years of running our fair-trade business in rural Africa, we have witnessed some wonderful changes in areas that we never expected. One such area is a dramatic decrease in domestic violence. Although that wasn’t one of our initial goals, it was a direct result of our efforts.

“Fair Trade companies around the world concur that domestic violence abates in households when women can become financially independent contributors.” Katy Leakey

Most definitions of domestic abuse include “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.” Of course, the issue of domestic violence is NOT ever simple nor do we want to suggest that. But we do want you to know that providing work opportunity for the Maasai women in Kenya and other communities around the world can help. And we thank you.